Magnetic compass mounting



R. MUSAL MAGNETIC COMPASS MOUNTING Sept. 2Q, 194s;r

Filed July 21,v 1945 INVENTOR. Eff/7' fyi/5,95

Patented Sept. 2Q, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENTL OFFICE n Y V.2,482,688 y Y v l MAQNETIC coMPAss Morin,rindl lRobert Musal, Maple Heights, ohio Application July 21, 1945, serial No. coasts This invention relates to an improved spirit level, and one of the` object'sof the invention, is to provide a level of this type with -a compass having a magnetic needle toA show north position, and a scale divided into degrees of the circle, so that the needle will indicate angular positions for the building of a foundation or house, or the laying out of a garden or other plot, the housing for the needle being mounted for independent rotary adjustment on the frame of the level, so that the levelling use may be carried out simultaneously with the angle determining use of the level. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined level'and direction compass, Wherein the housing of the compass is provided with a spring pressed'housing'cup, which may bemanually turned so that the scale of the compass may be properly adjusted with relation' to the line being laid outto establish the base for the foundation, buildingbr'land plot, and then adjusted to establish lines at right yangles or `at any other required angles to the base line, in developing the area limits which Will govern the laying of the foundation or the building of the house, or the marking out of the land or garden plot.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved level.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof, with the housing for the compass shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the compass.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the compass, showing the spring tensioning means, taken on an enlarged scale.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, 5 designates the frame of the level, which may be constructed of wood or other suitable material. This frame is equipped with spirit level vials 6 and 'I, which are located near one end thereof, a spirit level vial 8, which is located near the median position of the frame, and another spirit level vial 9, located near the opposite end of the frame.

These various spirit level vials are of conventional construction, and are employed to determine the levels of horizontal surfaces, or the perpendicular positions of upright objects.

In the laying of foundations and the placement of building supports, when no foundation is established, and in the laying out of land and 1 Claim. (Cl. 33-222) garden plots, 'it is not always practical nor possible to secure ythe services of a civil engineer or surveyor, and the man having the immediate responsibility for laying out the work or plot may not be informed and skilled in the use of trigonometry or geometry, and therefore unable to accurately calculate angular relations of sides of a foundation or plot.

The present invention is designed to equip a standard carpenters level with means for utilizing a magnetic compass. to establish the relative angular relation of .the sides of any area upon which a foundation is to be laid out or a plot to be established, soV that the services of a civil engineer or'surveyor may be dispensed with and a person unskilled in -the use of trigonometry or geometry maybe able tol satisfactorily complete the Work. y l

The invention is carriedout by means of the housing tubes It and I I, which are fitted through opposite ends of the transverse opening l2 of the main frame 5. The tube VIII is formed with an external flange |281., which is nested in a recess formed in the frame 5, and is provided with an integral end wall I2b, at the inner end of the tube. The tube II is provided with an external flange IIa, which is nested in a recess formed in the side of the frame 5. The inner end of the tube II is open and is disposed close to the integral end wall I2b of the tube I0. These tubes are formed of brass or other material which does not rust on exposure.

In the tube II a metal cup I3 is mounted to turn, and this cup is formed with an external ange 'I3a` which has a sliding bearing on the flange IIa of the tube II.

The end Wall I3b of the housing cup I3 is equipped with an axial bearing I4, which extends through the end wall I2b of the tube I0, and a nut I5 is threaded on this bearing against a coil spring I6, which encloses the bearing. The inner end of the bearing I4 is soldered or otherwise permanently `connected to the end Wall I3b.

A magnetic needle II is arranged to turn in the housing cup I3 upon a shaft I8, which is suitably supported on or in the bearing I4. A glass disc I9 is supported outwardly of the magnetic In using the combined carpenters levehand compass, a base line is first established andthe The frame 5 isfthenV placed against the base line andthe spirit vialsy necessary levelling made.

6, 1 and 9 checked to determine the level position construction, their combination and arrangement, within the scope of the invention, as clened by the claim hereof.

Having described the invention, I claim as new:

In a leveling frame, a magnetic compass having a housing and a magnetic needle rotatable in the housing on an axis perpendicular to the general plane of the frame, a pair of aligned tubes disposed in an opening extending transversely through said frame from front to back, said housing for the compass rotatably mounted in one ofthe tubes forrotation about said axis, a transverse portion in the inner end of the other tube,

aV projection upon the inner portion of said compass housing extending through said transverse of the frame 5. The housing I3 is then turnedby means of the ring 22, so that the north mark of the dial 2I will coincide with the north end of the magnetic needle I'I.Y From this base line then the sides of the foundation or plot may be laid out, by using thel position of the magnetic needle on the dial as a guide, when the frame 5 is shifted to level the sides of the foundation or plot. If you desired to establish a parallel line, the compass will point to north and south, to indicate the direction of such a line. If a right angular line is to be established, the compass will point east and west, when the frame is turned at right angles to the base line. If a line is to be established which is less than a right angle, th'en the compass will accurately indicate the direction and the angle, when the frame 5 is shifted accordingly.

The construction and de tail mounting of the magnetic needle is to be in accordance with standard compass construction.

It is understood that all materials useful for the construction may be employed, and that various changes may be made in the details of portion of the other tube, spring means engaging s aidrprojection and resiliently applying tension thereto to hold the housing and compass in the opening and prevent outward displacement thereof, said compass housing having a flange to prevent the inward movement of the compass through the tube and a plate ring connected to the flange with struck out lugs for eiecting the adjustment of the compass.

ROBERT MUSAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 610,952 Stettler et al. Sept. 20, 1898 898,092 Carrier Sept. 8, 1908 1,221,738 Isom Apr. 3, 1917 1,304,789 Marion May 27, 1919 1,665,715 Noisom Apr. 10, 1928 1,822,340 Dodd Sept. 8, 1931 1,944,104 Niedermann Jan. 16, 1934 2,169,342 Hewitt, Jr. et al. Aug. 15, 1939 

